Tom tells Just Jared about his upcoming fan documentary “Tom Felton: Meet the Fanatics” for BBC Three (interviews with Rupert, Dan and J.K. Rowling will be in the documentary), the crazy diet he went on for his film Against the Sun, and how he reacted to being sorted into Gryffindor on the Pottermore website.

Just Jared: Could you tell us a about the super fan documentary you’re working on?

Tom Felton: It’s an hour-long one-off that we’re doing with BBC and KR Films. It’s just kind of a chance for me to have a more in depth look at the world of super fans and these people that have followed franchises–kind of at the root of why Harry Potter was so successful. It had such an active fan base. It’s allowed people to be passionate about stuff that maybe they couldn’t be so open with in previous years. It’s kind of a look into that, it’s a road trip journey with me narrating.

JJ: What was your most memorable interview that you conducted?

TF: We’re still editing, but there’s a costume element. This idea that getting into costume (Terminator, comic book characters) and thousands of people that come into convention centers are freed. So I had my little experience with that, which was a bit awkward but fun. We had a guy in Pittsburgh, who’s like the world’s biggest Harry Potter fan, he was head to toe in Potter paraphernalia as I answered the door, which was a bit of an experience.

JJ: Did any of your Harry Potter co-stars take part in your special?

TF: Yeah, I interviewed Rupert [Grint], Daniel [Radcliffe], and J.K. Rowling, which is a huge honor to have those three talk so openly as they have done.

Tom Fletcher as well, many of you know as the lead singer of McFly or McBusted. He’s a huge Harry Potter fan. The documentary isn’t really supposed to be about Harry Potter, but it just so happens the people I’m talking to are related to that.

JJ: Do you know when and where fans will be able to watch it?

TF: It will be on BBC 3, I’m hoping for sometime in April, May. But again, don’t quote me because we’re still cutting it up. And then after that, hopefully later on in the year, it’ll be put up on online. I’m really excited to see what people’s opinion is of it. It was a massive insight for me, going behind the ropes and seeing what people actually do to stand behind a railing at an event. You don’t really think about the three hours it took them to stand there and get the best spot. And there’s a whole bunch of stuff that goes with that.

JJ: What was your favorite prop from the Against the Sun set?

TF: The gun. My inner child was pleased to hold my character’s gun. I actually have a piece of the raft framed, and I put it in my office. Also, my character has a red bandana, and once I finished with it, I put it around Timber, my dog, so she wore it for the last six months of her life. Now it’s really extra valuable now, which is cool.

JJ: Could you tell us about the diet you had to go on for the movie?

TF: Yeah, crazy diet. I didn’t really foresee it being as difficult as it was. I’m a really big eater. So I thought, it’s okay, I’ll skip a few meals. But they give you like five hundred calories a day, and you eat every two hours, on the nose, and they give you like seven almonds or half a broccoli stick. So in a couple days, your metabolism is really fired up and desperate for anything.

And they had to keep the craft services truck well away from the set. It was bad. I didn’t realize as well the calories were taken through liquid as well. The nutritionist came to my hotel room the second day and saw empty beer cans. I was like, “What? I didn’t eat anything.” He was like, “Those are about 150 calories a can!” And I was like, oh sh-t. So yeah, that sucked. I didn’t realize coffee was basically all milk. It’s like 380 calories, a whole day’s calories in a f–kin coffee. It was tough, but it was three weeks.

JJ: What was it like to have three men dieting together? You, Garret Dillahunt, and Jake Abel?

TF: It was actually good because it was the best way to do it. If we were doing it singularly, I don’t think we would have actually held as true to it as we did. We were weighed every morning, in front of each other, in our boxers, on the scales. And you could see the progress, and if you didn’t lose as much as you did the day before, then you kind of felt bad. There was one day when I came in after eating half a pack of Pringles, and I got on the scales, and I only lost like 0.1 pounds. And I just immediately had to tell em, like, “I’m sorry, guys.” That’s how bad you get, you start feeling really guilty about eating five Pringles. But yeah, it was pretty hardcore, we looked out for each other.

JJ: Do you have a favorite moment from on-or off-set with Jake or Garrett?

TF: The last day, we had these golf buggies to get to and from the tanks. Jake put a bicycle in my buggy. So I basically rolled a whole roll of gaffer tape around his golf cart so he couldn’t get back in. Great memories of Jake, he’s still one of my best friends.

There was a four-minute session as well where, Jake started beat boxing, or I did. And then the other one started rapping, some 3-minute terrible British freestyle came out. That was fun!

JJ: In Pottermore, you were sorted to Gryffindor. Could you tell us how you feel about that?

TF: Devastated. Heartbroken. Yeah, I was really not happy. I was filming the end of the documentary and they were like, just tap on something on the laptop so it looks like you’re busy. So I was like, OK. And they opened up Pottermore, and I thought, you know what, let’s do this. In fact, I did try and answer the questions to try and get Slytherin as the answer. And I think the computer saw through my attempt to try. I saw J.K. actually the next day and said there must be a glitch in the system. She guarantees me the Sorting Hat is never wrong.

JJ: If Draco wasn’t a wizard, what would he be doing in the real world as his job?

TF: A thief. Or some sort of shady back-end job. I don’t think he would be ever really good at working. Something definitely illegal.

JJ: What are your thoughts on the new Harry Potter book and have you heard anything?

TF: I haven’t! I know they’re in production. I know [director] David Yates and [producer] David Heyman, and Jo (J.K. Rowling) are back together, which is kind of the old dream team that did it in the first place. It’s kind of amazing that they’re coming back. I’m trying to weave in a little cameo, background extra role for myself. I can be some crazy bum in the back of the pub or something like that. Yeah, it’s exciting. I know lots of people are eagerly awaiting this. I think that it’s great they’re not treading on the toes of things they’ve done previously, and although it is related, I don’t think there’s going to be anything we’ve seen before. There’s not going to be resurfaced old characters or something like that. Yeah, I’m looking forward to it!

JJ: Of your peers, do you have a celebrity crush?

TF: As a kid, it was always Helena Bonham Carter. I just think she’s hot for some reason. More recently? From Gone Girl — Emily Ratajkowski. Or Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

JJ: What were the last three things you purchased?

TF: A dart board. I’m trying to bring a touch of England to the house. Golf balls, this morning. And beer last night. Or a burger. Sorry I forgot we went to Counter Burger last night and had a very healthy burger. A burger, dart board, and golf balls, that says a lot.

JJ: What are the next two things you want to check off your bucket list?

TF: I’d like to do like a week-long no electricity camp thing. No phones, nothing. Go back to sort of sticks, and… I’ve said this for a couple of years and not done it. That’ll be fun. That and fly on a private plane. I’d love to do that, I’ve always wanted to do that since I was a kid.

JJ: What do you sing in the shower these days?

TF: Don’t do a whole lot of singing in the shower. I do love that new Sam Smith record. Yeah, Jake Bugg and Ed Sheeran as well, probably one of the best of the last year.

JJ: How did you make your first dollar?

TF: Is it The Borrowers? Yeah, it’s a kids film. I was seven. Then after that, I worked at a fishery for awhile. Yeah, my first dollar was definitely as a seven year old actor.

JJ: What did you do at the fishery?

TF: I was a bailiff. Like I walked around, checked everybody’s tickets. Make sure everyone was parking in the spaces. It was a pretty sh-tty job, really. But I was well into fishing at the time, so I got free fishing with it.

Your guilty pleasure? Wearing my PJs all day. I’d be in them now if a film crew weren’t here.Career plan B? International rap superstar.Who would play you in the movie of your life? Leonardo DiCaprio. He may be a bit too expensive, though.Your most memorable kiss? The first one with my lady [stunt artist Jade Olivia]. It was outside her house with her dad watching out of the window, I’m sure!Biggest bugbear? People who say ‘like’, after every, like, word that they, like, say. I’m sure I do it too, though.As a child you wanted to be? James Bond. Still do, really.Who is your best friend? Um, my mum? No, my girlfriend.
Secret to a happy relationship? Compromise. Mainly on the male side.Your USP? My inability to say no. It’s not really a selling point but it’s definitely true. It can get me into some pretty sticky situations.What would be your last meal on earth? My mum’s shepherd’s pie with maybe 15 yorkshire puddings and a pint of gravy. To drink I would have a bottle of nice whisky.
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Ricky Gervais and Stephen Fry.Advice to teenage self? Don’t grow up!Your big break? Harry Potter, of course [Tom played Draco Malfoy].Secret skill? I’m really good on the yo-yo. When there was a big trend for yo-yos a few years ago I was king – the girls flocked to see my yo-yo skills in the playground.
On a night off we’d find you… Kicking back, watching movies, having a few beers with the boys.Starstruck moment? Seeing Pierce Brosnan at Pinewood Studios – he was filming Goldeneye at the time.Hangover cure? Hair of the dog.What did you have for breakfast today? A ‘greasy spoon’ fry-up and a large coffee.Your karaoke song of choice? I murdered ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles as a kid.Number one on your bucket list? Open the batting at Lord’s.
What would be your secret superpower? Maybe having a flying broomstick. That would be awesome.Motto? Don’t take life or yourself too seriously.Your coffee order? Large mocha, extra shot. Or extra couple of shots. Or a quad-espresso if I’m feeling slow.Worst job you’ve ever done? I worked at a fishery for 18 months but I actually quite enjoyed it.First record you bought? Green Day’s Dookie. I’m pretty sure I stole it from my brother rather than buying it, though.Which Mr Man are you? Mr Grumpy in the morning, and Mr Tickle in the evening.Signature dance move? The awkward dad bop.Money or sex? Ideally both.Optimist or pessimist? I’m optimistically pessimistic.Style icon? Prince Charles.Favourite villain? Dr Evil.Where would you time travel to? Maybe just 100 years ahead. I’d like to know how things work out…Most loved fairy tale? Jack and the Beanstalk.Most underrated virtue? Good manners.Your celebrity crush? Keira Knightley.

BTW, Just Jared Jr has published a few days ago a new interview with Tom :

Tom Felton gives JJJ the scoop on his film Against the Sun in this brand new interview!

The 27-year-old Harry Potter alum stars as one of three US Navy airmen during World War II who crash land their torpedo bomber in the South Pacific and find themselves on a tiny life raft, surrounded by open ocean.

No food. No water. No hope of rescue. Against incredible odds, these three virtual strangers must survive storms, sharks, starvation – and each other – as they try to sail more than a thousand miles to safety.

Against the Sun is now in theaters! Tom also dishes on being starstruck, his biggest fears, and Harry Potter fans. Check it:

JustJaredJr.com: Hi Tom! So what made you want to get involved in this film? What was the biggest challenge for you?

Tom Felton: I remember sitting down with Brian [Falk] our fearless director about the film and he did lots of research aabout the era and what these boys would have gone through day-to-day, and he mentioned a diet and how intense it was going to be. I sort of shrugged it off. “Yeah, yeah yeah,” not thinking much of it. But then we got down there, I wasn’t very educated when it comes to food and calories, and actually how much 600 calories a day actually was. I would have broccoli, half a chicken breast, and one slice of bread a day. It was very restricting. I managed to do it.

JJJ: With such an intense movie like this, what was it like on set in between takes? Did you get to lighten the mood at all and bond with the guys?

TF: It was pretty good. Both Garrett and Jake, especially Jake who is a huge string bean, they were definitely suffering more than I was in their lack of nutrition, but yeah, we were always kind of joking and playing with each other. When you spend that much time with each other, in the confines in a very small yellow raft, you get to know each other pretty well, pretty quickly, most mentally and physically. We got very close very quickly.

JJJ: Being stranded in the middle of the ocean is one of my biggest fears. What are some of your biggest fears?

TF: That’s one of them. We were quite lucky. It wasn’t that hard to imagine how scary that actually is – swimming in the ocean with like fifty feet beneath you is one of my biggest fears. The idea of what could come up and what could be around you terrifies me. We were shooting in a tank for most of the film, apart from one day when we actually went out into the ocean to film a couple of sequences. When we were out there, it was absolutely terrifying. We actually saw a whale about a hundred yards away and I literally shat myself. I put on a brave face because I was with the boys, but inside I was like, “Do not come any closer.” I think Jake was like, “Amazing. Wow.” And I was like, “Don’t come any closer.” I was terrified (laughs).

JJJ: Wow! That sounds scary! What was it like watching the finished product? Are you comfortable watching yourself on screen?

TF: I’ve never really watched much of what I’ve done, or really anything that I’ve done, and enjoyed it. Except this. It was such a roller coaster and such an intense journey that when we all got together – the fact that we were clothed and fed, almost unrecognizable from what we had known each other as, – it was very rewarding, sitting down and watching it together. Not just the actors, but everyone who was behind the scenes too. We were just very proud.

JJJ: What was the makeup process like?

TF: It was quite a lot. It was about an hour and some. As the days went on, the sunburn and the scabs got more intense and took a longer time. It wasn’t always easy to keep on as well because of the salt water in the air, we were getting wet…It took quite a while. The hair and makeup team worked around the clock to keep us looking sunburn and making sure it stayed that way.

JJJ: You often go to Harry Potter events where you encounter starstruck fans. Have you ever been starstruck?

TF: I’m sure I have. I certainly have. Actually I got quite starstruck when Tony Pastula, the character that I play, his actual wife came down on to the set with her family – her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. It was a real moment, sort of shock, meeting the woman who kept him going. That was definitely a moment I wasn’t quite sure what to say and I was worried she was disapprove of me playing her husband. Otherwise, I got retweeted by Ricky Gervais today and that was the highlight of my social media career.

JJJ: Haha! Awesome. We loved watching you on Murder in the First, by the way. Any chance we may see you on television again?

TF: Yeah. I don’t really plan for the future between the two, I just kind of fall for the characters that I enjoy playing, and the stories I want to be involved in telling. And obviously, people. I’m a people person and base my decisions on who I’m working with rather than what it’s about. Working with Steven Bochco and working in that medium, was something that really appealed to me. And Against the Sun is this epic story I couldn’t believe hadn’t been told, and Brian really….Brian’s passion and his knowledge, and that whole story was really epic. I was very excited about it.

JJJ: If you could guest-star on any TV show, which would it be?

TF: I mean, my teenage boy self would have said probably Entourage (laughs). Now, maybe Game of Thrones, House of Cards, or Breaking Bad. I was fighting to play Jesse’s brother. That would have been cool. And again, Derek would be an all time great.

JJJ: You just bought a house in L.A. Do you have any Harry Potter memorabilia lying around?

TF: Absolutely. The walls are covered with it. No, the truth is my lovely girlfriend has a picture in the office. There are a few different pieces. We want to Potter World not so long ago and had to get all the goodies I could get my hands on. We got some goodies up on the wall, for sure.

JJJ: You’re currently abroad shooting a documentary. Anything you can tell us about that?

TF: Not a whole lot. We’re sort of in the final stages of it now. It’s a documentary looking into the lives of the world’s biggest fanatics, super fans. Mostly in the lines of the Comic Con, convention-style fans. But yeah, it’s been a whirlwind trip, checking out the world’s biggest fans and trying to get some insight into why they do it and why it’s such great fun for them.